Obsession of Change
by DonCoral1993
Summary: After killing Mike, Clementine suddenly gets shot in the shoulder of Arvo. What if the dream in Season 2 was actually reality? And the rest was a premonition of some sort? Here we will see Clementine driven to change every little bit of the future... the thing is, maybe she's a little too driven.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! So this is a story I've been thinking about for a long time. You see, it's basically Clementine being sent back in time to the RV. The dream in Season 2 was actually real life, and the rest of it was a premonition.**

 **I see that this can be compared to ZombieGuy96's 'Second Chance' series, but it's far different, as the story goes on. Would contain some shitload amount of tragedy that it could be considered misery porn to some. This focuses on Pragmatic Clementine's struggle to change the future. She is hellbent on making sure that every little thing changes for the better... maybe a little too much.**

 **Clementine and Lee are the main characters (obviously) as for probably the first time, conflicts will arise between the duo. Also, this would not be the story for you if you're the fast-paced type of gal/dude.**

* * *

 _PKOW!_

The familiar ringing-sound was probably the last time Clementine will ever hear, as she fell to the ground, blood pouring out of her shoulder.

The shock drove her away from the stinging pain, as her vision became blurred. She heard echoes of Kenny screaming at the duo as all she could hear afterwards was him screaming her name.

" _Clem! What the fuck did you DO!?"_

" _CLEM!?"_

* * *

She gasped. She quickly rose awake to find that she was in a different place, different from the snowy atmosphere before. She took a moment before finding where she was. Before it suddenly hit her.

She's here. At the RV.

She turned around to see a face she thought she would never see in the actual flesh again. _Lee._

"It's just a bad dream sweet pea."

She couldn't believe it. This had to be a dream. This had to. She was lying in the floor the last time she remembered, moments close to dying. But it felt too real.

Clementine's eyes were terribly widened. Lee then frowned, a worried expression in his face. He didn't know why she was looking at him that way.

"L-Lee?"

"Yeah, it's me Clem. What's the matter?" Clementine was silent. She didn't know how to explain this at a comprehensible way. She then remembered what had happened at this point. Lilly was at the back of the RV with Ben pointing a gun at her. Duck was with Katjaa, riding, for lack of a better term, _shotgun_ beside Kenny, who was driving the RV. She recalled her former friend's state at this point, she then looked at him, hoping to divert Lee's attention from her to Duck.

"D-Duck."

As expected, the word made Lee turn around and focus on Duck, who was being cuddled by Katjaa.

"We don't know how this works yet."

"Maybe it's like a cold." He tried to sugarcoat the reality of the situation to her, hoping for her to stop 'worrying for her friend'. He didn't know that she knew better.

"It's not like a cold." Clementine said with an unusual blank face, Lee had never seen this side of her. Does she know something that he doesn't know? Weird.

Lee sighed. "Probably not."

Something then caught Clementine's peripheral vision. Kenny was glaring at them. Weird to see him without a beard, or any attachment to her at all.

"He's going to die, Lee." The straight-forwarded manner Clementine said this caused discomfort to her old mentor, while Kenny's glare became more intense than ever.

Lee looked at her with concern. What caused her to start acting this way?

"You don't know that."

"I do. He's going to turn into one of them unless you make sure he doesn't."

Lee frowned, sad. _She wasn't really suggesting what she was suggesting was she?_ "Listen Clem. We never had a bite victim in the group before. Even if we do know he's going to die, we should still give him time with his parents. Who knows what they're going through by now? We shouldn't end it right away, and you definitely shouldn't ask for a thing such as that." Lee raised his voice at the last part, but she wasn't scared the least bit. She knew him. She knew he won't hurt her.

Clementine then looked at Kenny, not sympathetically but she was analyzing him. She knew this would be the day he would be changed forever. Her emotionless eyes then rolled down. _He's been through worse._

"He'll get over it."

The RV then stopped abruptly. Clementine and Lee tilted sideways a little bit, as Lee used his body to act as a stopping force to what was supposed to be massive amount of inertia of what was suppposed to be a launch all the way to the back of the driver's seat for Clementine.

"Kenny, what-" Katjaa called for Kenny, as he marched to Lee and Clementine, as his glare locked at Clementine.

"You little fucking bi-"

Lee then stood up to Kenny, his height slightly towering him. He tried to shield Kenny from Clem by pushing him away from her.

"Whoa, whoa there. What the fuck's wrong with you?!" Lee furiously asked the raging man, as he was still staring at Clem with a dagger-sharp eyes.

"What the fuck's wrong with ME? How about you ask yourself what the fuck's wrong with your GIRL!? She fucking thinks that I don't give two shits about my fucking son. THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER!"

"HEY! She didn't say that!" Lee crossed his arms at the redneck, his eyebrows tilting downwards at each other to show a glimpse of anger at him.

"The fuck she didn't!"

This whole argument was bound to catch the rest's attention. Even Lilly's eyes were widened as the two blabbered at each other about God knows what. While Ben looked down in guilt. He caused all of this to happen. Clementine was surprisingly staring at Ben. Although he didn't know because he was too busy at the arguing duo.

"Even if she did say those things, that doesn't give you the right to do who knows what to her!"

"Doesn't give me the fucking right!? My son's sick, we have nothing to do about it, and what does your girl do!? She talks behind my son's fucking back about how he's going to die, and that I don't fucking care! I think THAT gives me a bit of fucking right to knock her right on her fucking ass!"

"Enough!" Katjaa finally interrupted the duo.

"This isn't going to help things, Kenny. Duck's still sick. All we could do is find a way to try to fix that. She's still a little girl, Kenny. You shouldn't do things like that to a little girl."

Kenny then looked back at Katjaa. She looked petrified at her own husband. The single look from her alone knocked some sense into him. He then sighed, then he turned at Lee, eyebrows slanted.

"You better talk some fucking sense to her."

He walked back to the driver's seat, starting the engine once again. Lee then sat down once again beside Clem.

"Uh... I'm sorry you had to hear that." Lee once again cuddled the little girl. Although his touch was tender and soothing to her two years ago, something about it... changed. It was probably just her, but something in it changed.

Lee then looked at Clementine with unease. "Kenny doesn't actually mean that, Clem."

Clementine still looked at what was the invisible abyss to her. Feeling quite nothing as usual. Lee wasn't able to stop that empty feeling inside her. All she heard was him still saying something about Kenny.

"He doesn't scare me." Clementine deadpanned.

Lee looked at the little girl with a smirk, impressed at her _surrogate_ daughter.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Clementine then looked at the windshield. There she saw the gigantic locomotive she was expecting.

"I think there's something in the road." She gestured to the windshield.

Lee took a quick look, before turning back to Clementine.

"Stay here, okay?"

Clementine nodded, as he went to the driver's seat, beside Kenny.

She shrugged their conversation off, as she once again glared at Ben. She knew what he had done. At first she thought he was a friend... now she realized that he's nothing but a pathetic cowardly screw-up who left her to die at the street which will come probably in one day. Hell, he single-handedly caused the death of almost everyone in their group, including Lee.

Ben took note of Clementine's glare, as he stared at Clementine with a different tone than her glare.

"What's the matter, Clem? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I... do something?" Clementine kept her glare, her eyes shielded by the bill of her cap. She looked quite intimidating in that form. Too intimidating.

Ben didn't want to be scared by a little girl. That was too low, even for him. But he couldn't help it. He couldn't help but think of her killing him in his sleep whenever he pissed her off. He was actually fearful of Clementine.

As his expression slowly switched from curiosity to fear. His face trembled from her glare, as she non-visibly rolled her eyes at how pathetic he was.

"I..."

Figuring that she tormented him long enough, she decided to stop glaring. Switching to her 'normal' blank face. As after what seemed for like an eternity, the RV finally stopped.

 _Took them long enough._

"Ben." Lee's gravelly voice rang out across the area. Ben quickly snapped his head at the former professor.

"Why don't you help me and Kenny scope this place out? I'm sure the kids will be fine in here." Ben was surprised that Lee could offer something like that to him. After what he's done. After what he didn't do, at this point he was more useless than the kids. As he stood up and gladly took his offer.

"Okay then." Lee then unsurprisingly walked up to Clementine then knelt before her. His hands on her shoulders.

"Stay safe, okay?"

"Okay, Lee." She slightly smiled, as the trio walked out of the door.

But Clementine noticed something. She noticed something that needed taking care of. She quickly walked up to Lee.

"Hey, Lee?"

"Hm. What is it, sweet pea?"

Clementine clutched her right arm, actually nervous from how this would turn out.

"Can I... talk to Ben for a minute?"

Lee arched his eyebrow. Looking at Ben then back to her. He was quite suspicious of the child, if he can believe it. Something about her felt strange lately. He didn't know if it was her parents or something she knew, but she was acting strange. In the end, he decided to shrug it off. She was probably taken aback from Carley. Any normal kid would. He figured she needed someone to talk with to cope. A friend of some sort. He then sighed.

"Alright."

He then looked at Ben.

"Hey, Ben!"

"What?"

"I think you should stay here. Clementine needs something to talk to you about." Lee's statement caused Ben to gulp. What now has she have in store for him?

Clementine stared at Ben's nervous stance. He probably thought that she's going to slit his throat out after kicking him in the groin.

"It's okay, Lee. It's only for a little while." Clementine tugged Lee's hand with _puppy dog eyes,_ putting up the innocent little girl act. Lee fell for it.

"See? Come on, Ben. Later, you can join." Ben was nerve-wracked. The duo then headed outside the RV, as Clementine marched closer to him.

"What-what is it?"

Clementine rolled her eyes in disgust for his cowardice.

"Come here." She motioned her hand as a signal for him to come closer. Ben's heartbeat started increasing. As his face was right beside Clem's. His mouth lining up withing his ear.

" _Give me your gun._ "

 _My. Gun?_ Ben was terrified at what the little girl was going to do to him with a gun. Did she even know how to use one?

"I... Clem. Do-"

"NOW, Ben. Or Lee will know..." Ben was feeling uncomfortable. But something about her statement confused him.

"Know... what?"

A short moment of silence followed. Ben was starting to sweat from the intensity of Clementine's cold tone around him. He didn't knew she had this side to her. She could give Lilly a run for her money.

"I know it was you."

The nerve-breaking realization drowned upon him. How did she know? She was just a little girl. Maybe she was bluffing, maybe she just thought it was him. Did she really...

know?

"W-what do you mean?"

Clementine was still blank.

"I know that you made the deal with the bandits. They said they had your _friend._ "

The revelation made Ben skip a heartbeat. He was starting to break down. He didn't know how to explain this. Everything she said was on point. She already knew, there was no point in lying. All questions about how she knew was quickly cut short by her silence. Her bone-chilling silence. He was stuttering. Clementine knew what that meant. She had him in her grasp.

"And I won't tell if you _give me. The gun._ " Clementine deadpanned.

The firmness under her voice made Ben to shamefully give in to her and give her the gun.

"Fine. Just, make sure that you know how to use this thing, okay?" Ben finally gave a stern statement of his own. But it was probably more of annoyance and humiliation than actual intimidation.

"Trust me. I know." Ben then left the RV, quickly running up to Lee. Probably to borrow another gun. Clementine had her sights on her next target.

Lilly.

Clementine casually walked up to her. Lilly only stared at her. She didn't feel anger or fear towards her. Like Clem, she felt... nothing.

She sat in front of her as she pulled the safety off. This caused Lilly's eyes to go wide. The innocent little girl she knew for three months straight, was now here, seemingly knowing how to use the gun. And the gun was turned at her.

"Clem?" Lilly's question wasn't one of curiosity. No, it was different. There was melancholy and depression. Clementine did nothing. She just stared.

The staredown continued. Indifference against despondency. It lasted for quite awhile, Clementine was still waiting for the moment to where she'll just give up and break free of her cuffs. Daring to make a break to the driver's seat. But it didn't come. Lilly looked sad. Too sad. She probably thought she was the reason for her acting like this.

The duo then heard something.

 _KREEK..._

It was Lee, silently checking up on...

There he saw the unusual sight of Clementine, with a gun in her hand. Pointing it at Lilly. His jaw was slightly dropped, he stared at his little girl, for a while. Staring at her, as Clementine had a hint of nervousness, as her eyes were widened, but the rest of her face wouldn't cooperate.

"Clem?"

Clementine was still too shocked to speak. She didn't think about what would happen if Lee caught her doing things that she shouldn't know how to by now.

"What the hell are you doing with Lilly?" He then tilted his head to her before turning it back at Clementine. His face more furious than ever.

"Uh... Ben, since Ben got out of the RV, I tried to keep an eye on her. W-who knows? Maybe she'll try to get out." Clementine nervously explained her actions to Lee. Lee then shifted his gaze to Clementine then to Lilly, only to notice something.

Her binds.

They were no longer on. Lee's eyebrows slowly raised in shock as he quickly marched over to Lilly afterwards, inspecting her.

"What the? How did you get these bindings off!?" He then tried to check her arms, who were now free of bindings. Lilly's heart dropped to the floor, as he tied them up once again, this time bringing her along with him.

Just before he walked out of the door however, he turned to Clementine, his face more angry and strict than ever before. Clementine probably knew why.

"You and I are going to talk later." He probably noted the gun incident. Clementine simply nodded as they now left and she was left to her thoughts. She wasn't afraid of him. She knew him. She then quickly took her time to recall what just happened.

She couldn't believe it. The whole thing was a dream? It felt like an eternity. Was she really given the chance to change the future? She didn't know. So many questions... that probably will never be answered. One thing's for sure... this was a chance. A chance to change everything. And she'll do everything in her own power to make that change.

No matter the cost.

* * *

 **Alright! First chapter is done! 2 will probably come within one or two weeks. Remember to leave a review to let me know what are your thoughts on the story, and if you like, make sure to favorite and follow.**

 **Just to let you guys know, this story is inspired by Whiplash. Why do you ask? Well, you just have to find out later on. Whiplash is one of my favorite movies, and this fic's structure will probably similar to the movie. Just different events, of course.**


	2. A New Life

**Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that this series will have an end. And will probably end in like the 100's or so. I just wanted you to be prepared for when this shitstorm ends.**

 **Anyways, remember to drop a review because it feeds my bloodthirst and favorite and follow if you like the story.**

* * *

Lee walked out of the RV, firmly holding Lilly in the wrists in front of him. Kenny's eyes were widened at the unexpected sight.

"Lee? Why do you have her over here?" Kenny's question wasn't one of fury or just mere anger, just plain curiosity.

Lee looked back at the RV for a second, recalling the shocking events that happened there, afterwards he looked back at Kenny with a frown on his face.

"I went up to the RV to see Clementine pointing a gun at her..."

"Jesus. Does she even know how to use one?" Kenny said it like he didn't yell at the subject of their discussion for her saying that he doesn't care about his sick son in his eyes.

"I don't know. All I do know is that last time I checked Ben had the safety on, now it's off." Lee pointed out, arms crossed.

"The fuck... so that's why she's here?" Kenny observed like she wasn't even there. Like they were talking behind her back.

"No. She's here because I found her with her cuffs off." Lee corrected the redneck, much to his shock.

"Christ. Just, make her sit in the tree over there. The others are going to be coming in anyway, including Clementine. So she's not going anywhere." Kenny's statement, brought a few questions to Lee's head. Like did he purposely put nonchalance in mentioning Clementine? He didn't know, so he decided to stop asking questions to himself.

And as if on cue, the woman herself emerged out of the RV. Clementine strolled by Lee and the others, unintentionally causing great discomfort to them. What followed was Duck, being carried by Katjaa. At the sight of his pale and tired son, Kenny clearly showed distraught over it. Lee couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He didn't even notice Clementine, who was right there.

 _Shit. Clementine was right there._

Lee quickly turned around to see her right beside Lilly, looking at the dirt, with her feet kicking back against it, looking as casual as ever, while Lilly felt clear and understandable discomfort. Again, it felt strange and unusual.

He really needed to ask her about that later on.

* * *

Clementine was still looking at the ground, looking as innocent as ever. Lilly and Ben felt uncomfortable at her. She didn't care. They better get used to that, because it's going to get worse if they try to do something.

A few minutes passed, Clementine noticed something in her peripheral vision, Lilly's arms were moving. She snapped her head at the woman, shooting up the most intense glare since blackmailing Rebecca.

Lilly looked absolutely soul-crushed. The realization of Duck's state was bad enough, she had to be the cream filling with the icing on top. She probably got the hint, she then stopped. Clementine went back to looking at the ground. A few minutes later, nothing really happened. Lilly stayed still, while Clementine saw Lee going to the RV to get something, quickly leaving to the train afterwards. Quickly afterwards, she then heard something creeping up in the leaves.

Footsteps.

She probably thought it was Kenny checking up on Duck and Katjaa. So she didn't mind it. Once she heard the voice however, she felt stupid for not knowing who it was.

"Is this all the people you got over here?" Clementine looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah. Just me, a woman with her hands tied, a teenager, and a mother holding her sick child. Definitely all the people we have." It would take someone with less intelligence than someone who got a borderline rating in IQ to not notice the sarcasm behind her voice.

"Well you got quite the mouth on you little lady, I wouldn't be surprised if you were actually the leader of this uncanny settlement you have here if this were actually all the people you got. Name's Chuck." He offered his hand to the little girl with a smile, as expected.

"Clementine." Clementine barely pulled the edge of her lip up, as she took his hand, and they shook.

"So, where are the rest of your people, anyway?" Clementine then tilted her head to the very front part of the train as a response.

"Probably in there. If not, then they either at the other side or dead." Clementine didn't budge at the clear callousness of the statement. Chuck chuckled quite a bit.

"Seems like the dead even got to a little girl's sense of morality." Though his tone was expectant of blase, he only got a look from her, obviously curious and probably offended at the question. Chuck seemed to notice this.

"Whoa there, missy. I was just horsin' around, that's all. No need looking at me like that." Clementine seemed to calm down after that, it didn't even matter anyway.

"So... I'm just going to go over there and see who is it you got over here."

As if on cue, sounds of steam and mechanics were heard from the train. Chuck gazed at his own home, gawking at the enormous sight.

"I guess I have to go. My own home's calling for me." Chuck joked, although no smile came from Clem's face. Although she noticed something, just while he was speaking, she thought saw Lee in the boxcar going to the other side of the train. The old man then took off, as she then looked the ground, returning to now her usual habit of doing nothing, as she thought about... nothing.

She'd lost all sense of empathy these 'past two days'. From watching Carver die, to Luke, then to shooting Mike. And now she was with Lee again, she had her her chance to prevent all those from happening, even if she might never see them again.

Clementine saw Lee in her peripheral vision, with Chuck by his side. He must've met him.

"You met Chuck." Her words were exactly the same as last time, but this time there was a certain monotone to the statement, one that made Lee frown.

"I did."

"It's so nice to meet someone for a change." Katjaa spoke up. She hadn't actually heard her calm voice since two years ago. Clementine thought she spoke at the RV, when Kenny was yelling at her, but she was too busy glaring at Ben back there.

Chuck then stood up and walked back to Lee. Lee then slightly raised his eyebrow in curiosity at the man.

"What's your game, man?"

"Keepin' alive."

Lee took a second to analyze the old man, not knowing whether to distrust the man or not. He then looked up back at him, he really did a good job at keeping his thoughts to himself. Almost as good as Clementine.

"That's not bad." Lee remarked.

"I like it." The old man gave him a seemingly friendly smile, Lee then relaxed for a bit, although the firmness in his stature never rested.

"You met Kenny?"

"Nah. I was too busy talking to this little lady, right here." He tilted his head towards Clementine, she raised her head up in curiosity.

"Oh really?"

"Oh yeah. This one's a talker." The old man dryly joked, Clementine continued looking at him. Lee was confused. What did he mean by 'talker'?

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know? Surprising that you don't know anything about this little girl you got right here when you've known her for... what? Months?" Lee then fully raised his eyebrow in confusion. Chuck saw the confusion in his face. He really didn't know, did he?

"Heh. You should try to talk to her for a few minutes, see for yourself." That was all Chuck said, he was then interrupted by Duck's worn out coughs.

Chuck then walked up to the two, kneeling before them.

"I'm awfully sorry your son's not feeling good." Chuck stated with sympathy to the Belgian woman, Katjaa nodded as an understanding to his authentic tone.

"I appreciate your concern." Katjaa smiled at the homeless individual. "Well, with a little TLC, I'm sure he'll be fit as a fiddle in no time." Chuck's remark showed clear obliviousness to the reality of the current situation.

Kenny then walked to the group, with the others not quite feeling his presence yet, except Clementine. The two then exchanged glares, one of fury and one of stiffness and uncompromise.

The silent interaction caught Lee's eye, as he quickly turned to the duo, specifically Kenny.

"Kenny." Lee calmly warned the redneck, although at first it seemed like the words bounced of him, as he continued glaring at her for a second, he then grunted once again, taking off to the train afterwards.

"Something about the two of them?" Chuck curiously asked.

"It's nothing. It's just a little scuffle that happened a few moments ago, before we came here." Chuck observed the girl's cold nature, and the man's aggressive and impatient stance, figuring it was not surprising that these two would butt heads."

"I see."

Chuck then looked at the woman with cuffs tied behind her back.

"And what about her?" Lilly didn't mind the man, she still looked at the ground, similar to Clementine's normal habit.

Lee worryingly looked at her, not knowing how to explain this to the man.

"She's... let's just say that she's gotten into a bit of trouble." Lee avoided the discussion for a little bit, but he knew he was only delaying the inevitable. The memories were still fresh in his mind.

"Which isn't enough." Chuck added with a hint of dry sarcasm.

"We'll talk about that later." Lee concluded, Chuck then went back to the log he was sitting on, he was supposed to go back to Kenny before almost forgetting about...

Clementine.

Lee then turned his head towards Clementine. "Hey, Clem." Clementine raised her head up, but her eyes never met Lee's. Lee sadly looked at her, before noticing her eyes, devoid of any life whatsoever.

'What?" She simply asked to the man. "I need to talk to you about something. Away from here." That was all he said. At this point, it was clear about what he's going to talk about. In fact, she had been waiting for this to come, just to do something worthwhile of her time.

She nodded, they then went to the side of the RV. Lee took a moment to look at Lilly, making sure that she wasn't going to make a break for it, once he saw that she wasn't moving, he then turned back at Clem, arms crossed with strictness in his eyes.

"What were you doing with Lilly back there? Why did you hold a gun at her? Do you even know how to use one?" So many questions, all with planned out lies.

"I was making sure that Lilly didn't escape. I couldn't hold her up all by my own, so I decided to use one. I got it by Ben, by the way." The last remark didn't bother Lee, if that was her intention.

"But what about the gun? Did you know how to use that thing?" Lee stated with enough authority to scare any normal girl, but not her. After a while of glaring, he figured that she knew that he wasn't going to bother her, so he gave up.

"I just want to know if you know how to use one. You know it's not safe, sweet pea." Lee calmly said, changing his pace a little bit to be compatible with the little girl. Silence then occurred for a few seconds, as Clementine finally looked up at her mentor.

"My dad taught me how to use one. Although I haven't shot one yet, I know how these things work." She simply stated to Lee, Lee seemed satisfied at the answer, although why she was acting like that still remained in his thoughts. But he didn't ask her, he guessed it was from Carley, so he didn't. If her death bothered him that much, who knows what it would do to a little girl? He let it slide, letting the little girl go of his judgement.

"I see. Let's get back to the train, I think Kenny's waiting for us there." Clementine obliged. The two went back to the train, along with the others.

* * *

A few minutes later...

Clementine was done packing her things, Lilly still had bindings in her wrists, Clementine then saw Duck, and the state he was in. He looked sick. _Too sick_. But he then saw Kenny who was still eyeing at her with a death stare, Clementine decided to do nothing about it. Adding anymore statements about his health will probably end with him breaking her neck.

She went to the boxcar, to sit at the edge of it, her feet dangling off the ledge.

The train then started moving, sounding more louder than ever, Clementine felt herself move to the side, as it became faster, until it moved at a rapid state.

She figured that the next destination was Savannah and-

 _Savannah._

She almost forgot about all the things that would happen there. Crawford. Her parents. Her kidnapping...

Lee.

She figured that the train was moving fast enough, so she grabbed her walkie-talkie, gazing at it for a few more minutes, this will be the last time she'll ever see her walkie-talkie. If she does something with it, history will be altered forever.

Without hesitation, she dropped the walkie-talkie, it bouncing off in the distance at it became farther from her, she smiled. She had prevented Lee's death. The first step has been made, in a long, hard-fought trip.

Her new life had just started.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading the second chapter. Third will come in 1-4 days. Remember to drop a review, and favorite and follow this story if you like it. And here will I close this chapter.**

 **Ta ta.**


	3. Puppet Master

**Third Chapter is here! Remember to drop a review as always. I would like for you guys to let me know about your opinion of this chapter, and maybe some predictions. I love reading your reviews , and the number of reviews I've read are only fucking four! That's how much I appreciate your support, and I can't wait to listen to you guys more.**

* * *

One hour since the departure of the train...

Clementine was just sitting in the edge of the open boxcar door, feeling quite enthusiastic for the first time since forever. She had just prevented a long sequence of events that would end in the separation of the group and Lee's death. She continued feeling proud of her own achievements before hearing something that sunk her long-found feeling of excitement.

Duck's coughs.

The weak coughs of Duck quickly brought her back to her empty gaze. She knew what was supposed to happen, Duck was going to die, and Kenny will still remain a broken man. She looked at Duck with a frown, feeling disappointed of her first failure. She wasn't able to stop this. She looked at Katjaa, holding his son, as Lee covered the blood coming out of his mouth with a hankerchief.

"Hey, kid." The rough and coarse voice immediately caught her attention. She turned around to see Chuck, who was standing right behind her.

"Can I... talk to you for a moment?" Clementine narrowed her eyes at him. He never quite spoke to her much in the train, seemed like Lee was the only one making conversations here. So this was new to her.

"Sure."

The two walked off the boxcar, just edging out of the engine cab. Chuck saw that they were out of everyone's earsight, knowing that this was the time to talk to the little girl about the thing he was so curious to know about. He opened his mouth to speak, before-

"Why did you bring me here?" The little girl cut the old man off short from having the first word. Although he wasn't offended by the little girl's lack of manners. In fact, he was quite impressed. She wasn't like any little girl he had seen in his life. No, she was different. She wasn't lacking of density about how the world is today, she doesn't take shit from no one, even grown men. He then stopped thinking to see the little girl, arms crossed with an eyebrow raised. He probably kept by for too long.

"Well, I wanted to know about the woman over there." He then looked over through the window, leading to the inside of the boxcar, gazing at Lilly, who still had her binds off. Clementine followed his eyes, now realizing why he brought her here. "She's got to have done something for her to be treated like this." The old man added.

Without hesitation, the little girl looked him straight in the eye. "She killed one of ours. Shot in the head." Chuck was surprised at the little girl's lack of empathy. He knew the little girl was quite the cold one, but not that cold.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that." Chuck stated, opposing her blankness with sympathy. Clementine rolled her eyes down, as a sign of understanding, although it wasn't as lively as it was supposed to.

Chuck looked at the little girl, analyzing her. There was something really cold in her eyes, like a person who had her own worst nightmare plastered upon her face, and is now dealing with the aftermath. He'd seen this look before, in fact, he thought he understood what she was feeling. He was nothing but a sad, sorrowful shadow of his own former self after the war, almost every time he had the same look on her face, no emotion whatsoever. He understood her, at this moment, if what he thought about her was right, she was currently dead inside.

"Listen I..."

The man was about to say something about her own depressive state, before the train suddenly slowed down.

"What was that about?" Chuck curiously asked.

Clementine was still blank, she knew what EXACTLY was that about. But she wasn't going to reveal her secret now, especially to him. So she played along.

"I don't know."

* * *

Five minutes later...

Clementine got out of the train, along with the others. She eyed at Duck for a moment, feeling more empty than sad. He reminded her of her failure to make this second chance worthwhile. She wished that she got pushed further back to save Duck and Carley in time. But she needed to deal with the hand she was dealt with. So many things could be done, and not just those two simple things.

She saw Lee talking to Kenny and Katjaa. This was it. This was the moment where Kenny would lose all remnants of his family. Unless...

Clementine then tugged Lee's hand. She got his attention.

"What is it, Clem?"

"What were you guys talking about?" She asked as innocently as she could, hoping that she still has it in her.

"Oh, don't give him that look, Clementine." Kenny finally spoke up, angry as ever. "You can't buy us in with that _little girl_ bullshit. Not anymore." Kenny explained to her as harshly as he could. He had no sympathy for her at this moment. Lee then glared at Kenny.

"And what the hell do you think she is?" He fought for Clementine against Kenny, not letting him yell at her like that, Kenny stayed silent after that, snorting. The realization then hit her suddenly.

She had him.

He was the voice of reason back then, and now she has him where she wants him to do whatever she wants. And there's nothing they can do about it.

"It's okay Lee. I just wanted to know what you guys were going to do." She said it with a soft tone.

Katjaa then exchanged nervous looks at Lee, Lee then noticed what the look meant. He had to explain this to her. Just after Carley's death.

"Uh... Clem..."

"I know he's going to turn. What are you going to do to him?" She asked, but with a more sorrowful tone. Kenny glared at her. _She didn't just try to play 'little girl' here, after saying that, now did she?_

Lee then answered Kenny's glare with a glare of his own, Kenny then breathed afterwards to calm himself down.

"We're going to put Duck out of his misery, honey." Lee sadly spoke. Clementine now knew. She had to act. Fast.

"Can I... come?" Katjaa was surprised, along with Lee.

"What do you mean, 'come', Clem?" Katjaa asked the little girl, dumbfounded.

"I want to see him for one last time, can I come please?" Clementine was trying hard to sell the others. They seemed to buy in. Except Kenny, who was still looking awfully suspicious of her. She knew he had every right to be, but he was getting in her way. To the point where it became pretty annoying.

"I... I don't know. You don't want to see this, Clem." Katjaa tried to convince Clementine into not coming, but Clementine was driven to prevent this from happening.

"Please?" Clementine looked at her with the _puppy dog eyes_. She was trying really hard. She had to do this. She had to.

Katjaa looked at her nervous, before suddenly calming down, and has now regained her composure, although she still looked sad.

"Okay, Clem." Katjaa sorrowfully agreed. She didn't know what to do without Duck, she had to end it, life meant nothing without him, but this little girl... she wanted to come, then she could come. She tried to stop her from seeing what she was going to do, but she had no choice. Kenny still kept that glare at her. If it was up to him, he would say no in a heartbeat. But his wife probably needed support for them to go through this, so he tried to respect her choices as of now.

"And... can Lee come too?" Clementine asked one last time, Katjaa widened her eyes, now rolling her eyes sideways, she didn't know what to do, this wasn't going as planned.

"I... what do you need Lee for?" Katjaa asked, she was shaking inside. _No... no... no._

"I... he keeps me safe. I want him by my side." She said it somberly. Katjaa was finding a way to prevent this from happening before finally probably finding a way.

"Well, that's not up to you to decide. Lee?" Katjaa then looked at Lee. Lee knew that they needed time for themselves, they didn't need a crowd to distract them. Clementine was an exception since she was Duck's friend. But two people joining up? No, that was disrespectful, he knew that.

"Clem, I think, they need time for themselves." Lee explained to Clementine as nice as he could. Katjaa slightly smiled, now she could be with Duck.

But Clementine looked at Lee with a frown, her eyes glinting with sadness. Lee didn't know what to do. He looked at Katjaa, and then at Clem. He didn't want to disrespect them, but like he thought earlier, he would do anything to make her feel better. Clementine saw the hesitation in his eyes. Lee then sighed in defeat.

"Okay." Katjaa's heart dropped to the floor. While Clementine looked at Lee, while grinning at herself. Kenny saw that grin. The others thought it was a smile, but Kenny saw a grin, Clementine didn't notice his glare as she was proud. The first change in preventing Katjaa's death was set in stone. Lee then smiled at her.

"Okay then. let's go. We wouldn't want to waste any time." Lee looked at Clementine, while she smiled.

The group of four then walked to the woods. Katjaa's eyes were wide. She didn't know how to do this with two grown men and a little girl who apparently knew how to shoot a gun.

* * *

The few then found the right spot for Duck's resting place. Katjaa had rested him against the tree at an open space. Clementine was inspecting the scene, she hadn't watched this whole thing happen, so this was a first to her.

Katjaa then walked back to the row that consisted of Kenny, Lee, and Clementine. Kenny, and Lee were too busy looking at Duck as a sign of grief for the child. Clementine was inspecting Katjaa at her peripheral vision. She knew Duck was going to die, but what mattered to her was making sure that Katjaa doesn't die.

"Give me the gun, Lee. I'll do it." Katjaa spoke up. Clementine was calm, she had confidence in making sure this wouldn't happen.

"I... um." He tried to find the gun in his pocket, but he couldn't. He tried to recall what happen, then it suddenly hit him in the head like a lightning bolt.

"I forgot to grab it from Clem." Clementine became more composed than usual. Lee became embarrassed at himself. How could he be so clueless?

"Okay then. Clem, can you give me the gun?" She offered her hand to Clem. Clementine grabbed her pistol from the front pocket of her jacket, grabbing it out then holding it at her side, she then went to push her finger against the safety slide up, she then gave it to Katjaa. She didn't know how to shoot a gun, she probably only was able to shoot herself because of the safety being off.

"Thank you." Katjaa showed what was supposed to be her one last act of gratitude towards Clementine.

Katjaa stopped for a moment, wondering if she should really do this. She would hurt so many people, especially Kenny, and Clementine... who knows what the sight would do to her. but she took another look at Duck, seeing his tired and pale body, she decided that no life would be worth living without her son.

She then casually lifted the gun up. Pointing it at her own head. Lee and Kenny noticed this, they then ran in front of Katjaa as quickly as she could, while Clem stayed at the back.

"What are you doing, Kat!?" Kenny pleaded at his wife, now more scared than ever.

"I'm sorry..." Her tears were starting to flow. "I just... can't..." She was breaking down, Lee tried to close up on her.

"Easy now... let's take a a breath. You don't want to do this Katjaa. Kenny needs you here..." Lee tried to find some sense into Katjaa, she then backed away from them.

"No! No, stay back!" She threatened the duo, Kenny was heart was beating rapidly, Lee was finding a way to stop Katjaa. Clementine was watching from the back, not feeling a single thing. She watched the whole thing unfold, she already pulled her strings.

"I'm sorry." She finally spoke, she then closed her eyes, as Lee and Kenny ran up to her.

"No! NO! NO!"

 _KLIK!_

Katjaa's eyes then opened only to see Lee disarming her of her weapon. Katjaa fell to her knees, desperately crawling to Lee.

"No... no... please... give me that!" Katjaa then broke down, sobbing horribly, while she was being held by Kenny.

"Why... just why..." Katjaa was sniffling against Kenny's arms, while Kenny started to cry with her. "No... it's okay, Kat... it's okay..." He soothed her while grief-stricken. The couple wept together while all Lee could do was feel sorry for them, he then looked at Clementine, who was now looking down, returning to her empty outlook. Lee felt bad for the things that unfolded over the span of a few hours.

He held the gun in his hands, noticing the safety slide now up. She really did know how to use guns. He already talked to her about it, and knowing how to shoot a gun is a pretty useful thing to know, in his opinion. He slid the safety off, he then pointed the gun at Duck, depressed at the thought of shooting a little boy, but he was no longer breathing, so this was just sparing him of a grim fate. Clementine narrowed her eyes at Lee, and the crying couple, wondering to herself about the effects that would take place thereafter.

 _BLAM!_

* * *

The four then walked back to the train, they said nothing on the way there. Katjaa, Kenny, and Clementine were all looking down in the floor with sad gazes, Lee seemed to be the norm, but he seemed to be a bit depressed, but he was still probably the most active person in the traumatized group.

They then walked back to the train, Chuck saw the boy no longer with them, good thing the girl knew her stuff. Because her dying might just be the last straw for him. Although there was one last thing she needed to do before she was all set.

Lee and Clementine walked back to the boxcar.

"So what happened?" Lee said nothing, but somehow, Clementine gathered the sense to respond.

"You know what happened. Why ask?" She said it with no life or tone in her voice. Lee was surprised by her ability to say it straight to his face without her voice cracking a least a little bit. He was saddened at the girl's depressive state, all he could do was help her through this.

"And also, you don't mind giving the girl a haircut, now would you?" Chuck called the professor out. Lee arched his eyebrow at the suggestion. Lee then looked at Clementine, Clementine looked back at him.

"It's okay, Lee. I think I want a haircut anyway." _I think I want a haircut_ was an understatement. It was about time she got the haircut she needed. She liked it better than her old one. It was a relief that she was going to get it now.

"See? Now, there's some scissors at the back of my pack. Get it, and... do what you need to do." Lee smiled at the man.

"Sure, thanks man."

"Don't mention it."

The duo was about to walk into the boxcar, Lee saw Kenny cuddling Katjaa and saying something to her to calm her down. The couple had been through a lot, so it's best to just let them mourn.

* * *

"Now, stay still while I do this... okay?" Lee reminded her like she didn't know a single thing about haircuts. Clementine was starting to get annoyed by his tendency to baby her, but she let it slide. She was really grateful for Lee being alive. Although she didn't show, she really was. But she knew she still had to use him in order to make big turns in the future.

"I know." She simply said.

Lee was cutting the left side of her hair, while Clementine was busy staring into the invisible unknown.

"So... you might probably look like a boy after this, you know right?" Lee joked, he needed something to make light of in the situation they're currently.

"I'd much rather look like a boy than getting killed by a walker because it grabbed my hair." She stated, ruining the mood Lee was trying to initiate.

"You said it." Lee agreed, although in a more down tone. He was impressed by the little girl's sudden maturity, sure. But maybe she was a little too mature. He then made the final decision to go talk to her. She needed time to cope, sure. But she needed someone to make her feel better, someone for her to let him know what she's going through.

"Hey, Clem. I feel like we need to talk."

"Oh?" The words were supposed to be of question and wonder, but the tone made Lee more driven to talk to her about this.

"You haven't been acting the same since Carley. I wanted to talk to you about it." _Of course he would've thought that it was because of her._ Nope, it was far from that.

"And why?"

"I need you to tell me what's wrong. And how I can help." _You can't._

"Is it because of her? Clem, I need to know. You haven't been acting normal as of late. Something's bothering you." Clementine sighed as a response.

"Did you notice how my walkie-talkie has been gone lately?"

Lee raised his eyebrow. _What does that have to do with this?_

"No. Why?"

Clementine stayed silent for a little bit, trying to buy Lee in into why she has been acting so down lately.

"I know my parents are dead." Clementine deadpanned. Lee felt a lump in his heart. No wonder. She had finally accepted that her parents are dead, it probably was a lot to take in, plus Carley and Duck.

He looked at her sympathetically. _Who knows what's going on in her head right now? Poor kid._

"I'm sorry. Come here."

Lee then proceeded to cuddle Clementine, but her face stayed blank. She had convinced Lee. She had something to make him even more sympathethic of her. She can make him do even more for her. She knew that.

Lee then gazed at the passing sun, while Clementine looked at the shadows that surrounded the train.

* * *

 **Okay! Third Chapter is done! Next will come in one to two days!**


	4. Old Friend

**Hey guys! I've been noticing the lack of reviews as of late. Seemed like my request for you to let me know about your thoughts and predictions about the story just kinda got snobbed, I guess. It's okay, I know you guys are reading but it would be really nice for you to drop a review and make me feel more motivated. You guys are the only reason that I keep going, plus my want to tell my story.**

 **Remember to drop a review as always. Favorite or Follow if you like this story.**

 **Enjoy...**

* * *

Kenny was at the driver's seat, gazing at the tracks that beheld him. Katjaa was at the other seat, no words were said. They were in mourning.

"You want to talk about it?" Kenny finally spoke up in what seemed like forever. Katjaa still remained silent. She wasn't ready to talk about it.

"You were ready to kill yourself, Kat. Why?" Katjaa was close to breaking down once again, she didn't want to be in that dark place again. "I... I don't want to talk, Kenny. Not now."

"Not now!? Our son is dead, and you almost left me! I think now is the best time to know why!" Kenny finally snapped at her. Katjaa sniffled, holding back the tears that were ready to come out.

"I'm sorry... I, I couldn't handle it. I couldn't imagine a life without our son, Ken. I'm sorry..." The woman's voice was starting to crack. She was deteriorating mentally once again.

Kenny then noticed the tears welling in her eyes, he came closer to her, and comforted her. They needed each other now more than ever.

"It's okay, Kat." Kenny shushed her. "We'll get over this. We will." Katjaa was able to let the tears flow in Kenny's arms. She wasn't vulnerable, unlike earlier. She was isolated with him. Kenny continued cuddling her, he then saw something.

"Oh, shit." He got out of Katjaa's seat, Katjaa looked at him peculiarly.

"What is it?"

Kenny stared at the big towering sight, Katjaa noticed it as well, and understood why Kenny was gawking at what will be a troubling situation.

"We need to tell the others. Now."

* * *

Clementine was still seating with Lee, the boxcar was quite silent, Lee had just talked to Ben. He now knew, although he wasn't as angry at him as Clementine. Clementine was looking quite impatient, though he didn't know why.

They then heard something in the distance. A voice. Definitely Kenny's.

" _OH SHIT! HOLD ON EVERYBODY!_ "

 _Finally._ That was what Clementine thought as the train slowed down, stopping at an unspecified location.

"What was that?" Lee was eager to know. As always, Clementine kept a straight face, she knew every single thing that was supposed to happen. But she played along.

"I don't know."

* * *

The others finally emerged out of the train, to see the problem just ahead of them.

A giant tanker, dangling of some kind of skyway.

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!" He loudly cursed out into the distance.

"Kenny, keep your voice down." Katjaa reminded Kenny cautiously. "I know Kat, it's just... fuck."

Ben then came from behind Kenny, inspecting the large cylinder object blocking the way of the train.

"Can we just... walk?"

Kenny stayed silent.

"That's fucking stupid, Ben."

"I don't know." Clementine finally said. But she does know. "Maybe we can go up the skyway, and check out the tanker." She suggested.

"Now, who gives you the fucking right to speak up!?" Kenny still didn't come to terms with Clementine. He didn't even care if what she was suggesting was good, the only words he could hear from her were from earlier. At the RV. As if it were playing on repeat everytime he looked at her.

"Now, hold on there. I think that's a good idea." Lee agreed with Clementine, although she didn't need to do anything with him. He genuinely agreed with his surrogate daughter's plan.

"I'll go up there. Clementine can come with me." He didn't know what forced him to say that but he did. She seemed to know how to take care of herself. Plus her hair was recently cut off, so it would take extra work for a walker to kill her.

Clementine smiled at him, now there was the joyful and innocent look from her that he missed so much.

"Any objections?" None.

"Okay then." The man walked before Clementine kneeling before her. Clementine was confused, this didn't happen before. He then reached for his back before handing the object to her.

A Glock 17. It had been a long time since she was granted ownership of the gun, or did anything with it. The only thing she had done was slide the safety on and off. She stared at her old friend, smiling. She considered it more soothing than a lullaby at night.

She grabbed, it pushing the slider, the magazine popped off, she catched it, inspecting the number of bullets. _Full._ She popped it right back up. Lee was impressed, she really did know how to use a gun. He smirked at Clementine, Clementine shrugged the smirk so casually, as if holding a gun were a normal thing.

"Let's go."

The duo walked off to the skyway, Clementine knew what she was going to see when she gets to the top.

* * *

After a short walk, the two finally made it. Lee and Clementine stared at the top of the ladder, inspecting it. They knew it was going to be a long climb.

"Uh... why don't you go first, Clem? you have the gun after all, and I'm there to make sure you don't fall." Good. He was trusting her, but not that much. He still felt an attachment to her. False attachment can lead to manipulation, and Clementine was directly intending on manipulating Lee, but only to spare her friends a horrible death.

She smiled in response, Lee smiled back at her. She then took her first steps at the ladder, Lee followed her. They climbed the ladder together.

30 seconds later, they made it, or rather, Clementine had made it to the top. Just as she peeked out on the road in the skyway, there she saw the two people she was expecting to see.

The girl didn't have the time to explain herself before being cut off by one of the people.

"Holy shit, Christa! Do you see this!?" The man obviously had a very easy-going and jolly look on him. While the other woman kept a straight posture, she was obviously quite the level-headed type. As expected of her longest companion.

"All I see is a little girl, doesn't mean that we should join them right away." She scoffed, distrusting the group they heard just now.

Lee then climbed up, walking next to Clementine. Omid was even more overjoyed at the sight of the man.

"And she has her father! See? We're going to be fine there, Christa!"

"I'm not her dad, I just found her in her house. Her parents are uh..." Clementine looked down, although still looking quite normal, if you count normal as lifeless and bleak.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Omid said.

"So what's her name anyway?"

"Clementine. What's it to you?" She then looked at him, arms crossed with a focused stare on her face, eyebrows narrowed. This along with the sass brought along with her statement, caused Omid to chuckle quite a bit.

"She reminds me quite a lot like you, Christa." Omid remarked, Christa then snapped out of her trance to see her and the little girl in exactly the same position, arms crossed, with a firm posture. Lee seemed to notice this as well, as Omid gotten a smirk out of the man, who was eyeing the two women.

Christa then uncomfortably shifted to another position, now standing quite more limp and free than Clementine's more restrained posture.

Lee and the duo then exchanged the usual expected dialogue, Clementine did nothing but stare at the train and the others, the exchange became much more distant, she was focused on what was coming next, she was planning out the things she needed to.

* * *

Kenny and Katjaa were resting in the engine cab in the train, although they managed to let Duck pass by in their minds for at least one moment, they still had something to discuss about.

"I'm telling you, something's not right about her." Kenny angrily stated at the woman, although he didn't raise his voice at her.

"Listen, Kenny. She's just a little girl. She's been through a lot. You know that." Katjaa said, she was supposed to talk about Carley and... Duck. but she left it at a vague note, she didn't want to talk about it again, not after just having what counts for a normal conversation with her husband.

"Little girls don't go just... 'rationalizing' death like it's a stroll by the fucking street. You saw her talk about Duck, Kat... she even knew how to fucking use a gun! How long has she kept that shit from us!? Maybe letting us know that a little girl can shoot a gun, can help us prevent a shitload of things from happening. Especially when she's this close to Duck." Kenny argued, but the conversation was becoming closer to having Duck as the subject again, she didn't want that. She stayed silent, allowing for Kenny for another word.

"She's definitely got something up her sleeve, she even stopped..." Katjaa then looked down, her eyebrows slanting upwards, as she frowned, Kenny then looked at her, feeling sorry. He didn't mean to take it that far, they wanted to take their minds of Duck and what she did for a while, but they pulled themselves back on that level.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... we should just keep an eye on her from now on, Kat." Kenny said, his voice soft. Katjaa just nodded, she didn't say any words. Something then caught the redneck's eye.

"Speak of the devil..."

Lee and Clementine came down from the ladder, along with other two unnamed people. One a man and another a dark-skinned woman.

"Guys, this is Omid and Christa." He obviously referred to the two people right behind them.

The entire crew still was silent, looking upon the duo a bit suspiciously.

"Not big on welcomes." Omid got the impression.

"It's been a rough day."

"Oh, I see. So, we just want to say hi and that your train is pretty cool." Omid joked. "But we're not looking for charity." Christa added.

"We need to cut that tanker down. It's the only way to... you know, get it out of the way." Clementine grumbled, Kenny once again glared at her.

"Who said it was up to you!?"

"Kenny..." Katjaa warned his husband. He really didn't need to do this in front of two new people. At least something good happened amidst all this chaos.

"LOOK. Clementine's right. It's the only way to keep the train moving, unless you want to ditch it, and walk on our own." Lee's statement caused Kenny to snap out of it, he warned him of the dangers and how long it would take before they get to Savannah.

"Alright. So, what are we going to do now? You want to start in on that tanker?"

"I'll get to know the girl for a minute, if you don't mind." Christa suggested, Clementine looked away, eyes narrowed. Christa smiled at the sight, she reminded her a lot of herself.

"Actually, Lee... mind if I borrow your girl for a minute?" Clementine then shot a glare of her own at Kenny, but Kenny ignored it like it was nothing. Lee looked at the man, eyebrow raised, feeling obviously suspicious of the man.

"What are you going to do with her, Kenny?" Lee asked, feeling exhausted. He was getting quite sick of their little scuffle, he wished it would just end.

"Don't worry Lee, I'm sure I can handle myself." Clementine reassured him. Lee shot one last look at Kenny, before letting her go.

"Fine, but don't try anything. Both of you." Lee warned, as he went to sit with Christa, probably to talk.

* * *

Kenny and Clementine went to the side of the train, Kenny made sure they're out of everyone's sight before talking to her.

"So, what do you want with me?" The girl simply questioned, eyes filled with fire. Kenny then stared at her as well.

"What I want is for you is to keep your little interests with yourself. I saw you. I saw you looking all sorry back there with Lee and Katjaa. Well, I tell you what? That shit ain't going to work with me. And if you try anything with Katjaa, you'll surely regret it." The man raised his voice at the little girl, but the little girl did not even flinch, she looked at him, straight in the eye.

"So what? Your going to kill a nine year old little girl in cold blood?" Clementine's voice was nonchalant. She knew Kenny can be pretty violent, but she looked Carver in the eye. Kenny was nothing to her. But Kenny still stubbornly kept his look at her.

"No. I'm not killing a nine year old little girl. I'm killing a manipulative fucking sociopath." Although it was true, that single statement infuriated Clementine, as she looked at him, with a glare that could disintegrate souls. But not Kenny's as he looked at her with an equally sharp glare.

"Stay the fuck away from my family." Kenny simply warned her, but Clementine never rested her face until he had finally left. One thing's for sure, the man had great instincts, he saw through her plan, or some parts of it, anyway. She respected the man, especially after the things he'd done for her in her past life, but he's bound to get in her way sooner or later in this life. She'll plan to take care of that when the time comes.

She then noticed Lee going to the abandoned house he was originally supposed to go in, she quickly caught up with him.

Lee noticed Clementine's shadow sprinting towards him. Lee turned around to see her already behind him. Fast kid.

"What did Kenny tell you?" Lee asked, eyebrows slanted. Clementine knew he was suspicious. _He's suspicious of Kenny_.

Clementine looked down, more sad than ever. "It's nothing." She simply said. This caused Lee to be more furious than ever.

"Nothing?!" Clementine was acting really hard to look sad, when she saw Lee finally frown, she knew she had him once again.

"He said to me that he'll kill me if I ever tried something with Katjaa." Lee now looked at the redneck, hatred filled with his eyes, he'll make sure to talk to him. Later.

"The fuck he did."

"Are you going to kill him?"

Lee looked at her, frowning. "No. But I'll make sure he never talks to you like that again." Lee asserted. Clementine felt a little satisfied. Kenny wasn't going to do anything to her, and he wasn't going to die, probably. And she still had full control over Lee.

"Can I come with you?" Clementine asked. Lee smiled.

"Of course you can, sweet pea. We're a team." Clementine smiled at herself. Lee smiled to her. The duo then walked off to the abandoned house.

* * *

Ten minutes later...

The duo made it to the abandoned house. Clementine opened it from the inside, as usual.

They saw the inside, it was filled with dark shadows around. The only light visible is the sunlight that came from the gaps between the wooden pallets that were blocking the windows.

"Goddamn it's dark in here."

"How about you prop it with that spanner of yours?"

"Good idea."

Lee then went to do as asked. He propped the door open with the spanner. Now with enough light to see where they're going. Lee checked out the room.

It had a gate, that surrounded 1/4 of the room. and behind it, revealed the exact thing they were looking for. A blowtorch.

"That's exactly what we need."

"Then open the door and get it." Lee raised his eyebrow at her. She wasn't that much of a smartass, a dozen of hours ago, but he didn't mind.

"If you insist."

He tried opening the door, but the he didn't see the door knob. It was locked, and it required a key to open.

Clementine sighed, she had to do everything, as usual.

"There's a gap right above the gate, I'll squeeze through, and get the tanker."

Lee smiled at her. "That's not bad."

Lee then helped Clementine, he carried her. His strength enabled him to make Clementine stand up in his own shoulders, as she went over the gap, dropping to the ground.

"Go on and grab the keys, Clem." Clementine nodded, face blank as usual. Funny thing is, her face was actually blank last time. But then she saw it. The black figure, coming from the shadows, and the other coming from the door.

"Behind you!"

Lee turned around to see two walkers. He tried to grab it, but he'd forgotten that he'd given it to Clementine.

"Shit. SHIT. SHIT! CLEM!"

 _BLAM!_

 _BLAM!_

She was right ahead of him as the two walkers fell down, each in one second. Lee took a dozen of breaths, relieved from that close call. Lee then looked sideways to see Clementine, the gun already back in her front pocket of her jacket. He hadn't seen someone with a dead-eye like that since... her.

Clementine then noticed something in the shadows, this time in her section of the room. She'd almost forgot.

 _BLAM!_

The walker fell face-first on the floor. Blood spilling out of it's corpse. Clementine, holding the gun with one hand, putting it back in her front pocket.

Clementine then grabbed the keys, then opened the gate, allowing Lee to grab the blowtorch, and carry it with his left hand.

"Thanks, Clem. I gotta say, you sure are a great shot with that thing." Clementine smiled at him, actually genuinely smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah. For a first-timer, you'd already beaten in terms of markmanship." Lee complimented her. Clementine chuckled.

Christa then quickly came out of nowhere. "What's going on! I thought I heard shots!" She then went to see three dead walkers, and Lee and Clementine. Clementine seemed to have the gun in her front pocket.

"You made an eight year old kill three of these things on her own?"

Lee glared at her. "No. I was trapped. She saved me. I had no other way out." He explained, trying to justify his inability to Christa. Christa then hummed a chuckle in disbelief, she was about to go out of the room before turning around to Lee, eyes focused on his.

"Next time you decide to take care of a little girl. Make sure you're competent enough to at least save her from these things." Christa warned, before taking off.

"Fuck her." Lee insulted the woman behind her back.

Clementine chuckled. Lee wasn't expecting that kind of a response from a little girl for cursing a woman out. "Yeah, she does seem like a bit of an ass." She added. She knew her, it was true. Christa was the definition of a hard-ass.

"Hey." Lee playfully warned her.

"What?"

"You swore."

Clementine smiled. "Yeah, probably because I've heard too many from you guys." Lee smirked at her.

"Let's uh... go back to the group now shall we?"

"Sure."

* * *

 **Chapter four? Done-so. Hope you enjoy the story. Remember to let me know your thought about the story with a review, would really appreciate it. And if you like this story, don't forget to favorite and follow it. Also, in case you were wondering, I am going to do something with Lilly, in fact, that something is going to come soon. Don't worry. And as always...**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	5. Episode 1 Ending: Enter Savannah

**Final Chapter of the First Episode is finally here! I would like to thank all of the people who had watched and never turned down this series. I hope you guys will continue to support me, it means a lot. Honestly.**

* * *

Clementine and Lee walked back to the rendezvous. Omid saw the two, he got out of the engine cab to check up on the two on their work.

"Me and Clementine found a blowtorch in the station. Should make quick work of the coupling right there."

Omid smiled at them, glad of the progress they made. "Excellent. I'll come up there with you to have a look." Omid then proceeded to climb up the ladder up onto the bridge. Lee also as well. Clementine tried to follow, but hesitated. She knew that Omid would break his leg, and she was much more little than Omid.

"Hey, Clem!" Clementine got out of her inner exposition to look up on Lee, only a few climbs in the ladder, and is now dangling by it. "Are you sure you don't want to come!? Considering the work you put in that house back there, I say you'd be a pretty big help."

Clementine smiled at him. She was glad that Lee was starting to treat her as an equal, but at the same time, it would also ruin her plan. Her smile eased up all of a sudden. She needed him. She needed him to be overprotective of her. She needed him so she could use him.

"No. I prefer staying with Christa." Christa's smile then widened, at those six words, she had found a thing more worth doing than listening to Omid's shitty jokes 24/7.

"Okay then. If you say so." Lee then went to climb up the ladder. Clementine stared at Lee, his body becoming much more smaller the second.

"So, Clem." Clementine turned back to see Christa. Weird to see her happy after...

"What?"

"Why don't you tell me a little more about yourself, Clem?"

"What's there to tell?"

Christa's smile didn't disappear. Normally someone who would make a comment like that to her would get an earful from her, but not the little girl. She was too much like her. Too much.

"Omid was right. You are too much like me." Clementine narrowed her eyes. Maybe she was too much like her. Maybe it was because of the twenty-four months she had spent with her. Clementine decided to say nothing, Christa's smile did not alter.

"I get it. Trust me, you just don't want someone talking down to your back, that's all." Silence still remained, Christa was not yet the least bit frustrated. She was fascinated with the little girl.

" _GUYS! THERE'S SOMETHING COMING!_ " The teenage and squealy voice rang out to them.

"What the..." Christa muttered. Clementine kept calm. She knew the horde would soon come.

" _WE GOTTA GO!_ "

"Shit! We gotta run, Clem!" Suddenly they heard something. They ran, while they saw the gigantic cylinder-shaped object falling, eyes being widened.

Clementine and the others had just reached the train where Katjaa, and Kenny was.

The train began to move, the ladder was demolished, there was no way the two of them were getting back to the train that way.

Suddenly, inside of the boxcar, Clementine saw a blowtorch falling out in the distance, crashing into the oil spilled from the fallen tanker.

A few seconds later, they heard a loud thump. Probably Lee. A second thump followed which was was added by a deafening scream. It would be deafening, if it weren't for the thick walls surrounding Clementine.

"SHIT!" Christa called out, then went out of the boxcar. Sprinting to probably her lover. As expected, Lee climbed into the boxcar, where he turned around, to now see Christa and Omid, running up, the familiar thought rang across his mind. Who would he save first? His mind switched back and forth between Christa and Omid, where he finally made the decision to yank Omid onto the train.

The duo dropped to the floor by the force of Lee's own pull and Omid's dead weight. Omid took a second to recall what happened before looking at Lee, as petrified as a trapped prey.

"No! HER! NOT ME!"

Christa tried her best to catch up to the boxcar, but the sight of her was eventually shielded by the boxcar's walls.

"CHRISTA! NO! FUCK!"

Omid looked at Lee, with eyes he never thought he would ever have since elementary.

"You piece of shit! She's a woman! Don't you know-"

Omid was interrupted by the sight of Christa, just barely hanging on, before using all her energy to make that one final jump onto the train.

"Baby." Omid called out for his lover. "It's okay, honey. I'm okay." Christa reassured him.

Clementine observed the scene. _As expected._

The three of them were gasping for air. It happened so fast. Clementine was still looking at the trio.

"Took you guys long enough."

Lee was having trouble gasping, his chuckles mixing up with his heavy breaths.

"Yeah. We did. But we're okay."

"Speak for yourself, my leg is fucked." Omid harshly spat at Lee. Lee looked down in guilt, he didn't mean to be that forceful to Omid like that. He then shook it off along with his head, as he stared at the sun setting before them.

"Jesus. What a fucking day..."

The train then sped up, as the walkers became much more distant. Along with the day.

* * *

Fourteen hours later...

The sun was now up. It shone over the bridge, highlighting the already large buildings of what was supposed to be, Savannah. Lee was happily gazing at the town, admiring the scenery. He looked at Clementine to see her, asleep, eyebrow slanted. Without her walkie-talkie.

 _Weird._ Normally she would grasp onto that walkie for dear life. He guessed it maybe a sign of getting over her parents. As the walkie was now replaced by the Glock 17 he gave her one day ago.

Lee checked her pink, flowery backpack. Nothing but a couple of food, water, and ammo boxes. _Didn't know Clementine could be the practical one, Survival of the Fittest, I guess_ _._

Kenny suddenly came into the cab, observing the bright skyline of Savannah.

"Next stop, The Atlantic."

Katjaa was still in the other cab, probably mourning for their dead child, along with Ben, Chuck, and a tied up Lilly.

"So what are you going to do with Lilly?" Lee simply asked his moustached friend. "Seems like she's down in it, so she won't be going anywhere."

"No, I mean when are you going to let her go?" Kenny eyed Lee. "When we know she won't try anything fucking stupid no more." Lee narrowed his eyes as well, he wasn't quite sure a bout that. "It maybe be a long time, before that'd happen, you know that, right?"

"Then we keep a fucking eye at her, that's all there is to it."

"You know we can't keep an eye at her forever. Maybe send Clementine to check on her, she seems to be-"

"No. Fuck her. She's not doing anything."

Kenny then sat at the driver's seat, Lee stared at him, but he ignored it. Just like when he tried to talk some sense into him about Duck. "What's the matter with you two, Ken? She's just a little kid-"

"JUST A FUCKING LITTLE-? Let me tell you something, she may be a little girl, but she is nothing but a selfish piece of fucking shit-"

"HEY. DON'T TALK TO MY GIRL LIKE THAT." Kenny then stood up, now inches away from his face. This was going like last time.

"Your girl!? No wonder she's so eager to fucking use you like that! You can't even fucking see when you're in the wrong!" Lee's glare only tensed, eyes more narrowed than ever.

"What are you talking about?" Lee then crossed his arms, at the redneck. "You really haven't noticed, haven't you?" Lee stayed silent.

"Look. She didn't mean what she had said to Duck-"

"NO. It's not about Duck, goddammit. She's using you Lee. Fucking using you. She needs you for her own personal desires, like some sort of... agenda. Look at when she tried to come with me and Kat, minutes ago, she was doing nothing, looking bored and empty as all hell, while staring in her own fucking misery, but now here she is, like nothing ever happened to her. Do you even want to know what she said to me when I talked to her? She said, if I had the fucking guts to kill her?"

"And you do?"

"I have the fucking guts to do whatever it takes to protect my family, that's for certain. If it means killing her, I'll do it. And you should definitely watch your back, Lee. You're lucky I'm even giving you this advice."

"And why?"

"You really don't fucking get it do you, Lee? Here, maybe I'll speak in your language, PROFESSOR. She's manipulating you."

"Manipulating? Like using me to get whatever she wants?"

"YES. I noticed it at Kat, where Clementine gave you those eyes. You straight up gave in, and went with her, even when our fucking son is dying and wanted nothing but to be alone."

"Yes, I know that. But remember, Clementine saved Katjaa. Hell, if she hadn't turned the safety on, Katjaa might not even be in here."

"But it doesn't make goddamn sense. Why would she want you to be here, if she can just turn the safety on her own? She's seeing if you can actually do what she wants. And at this point, until you do something, that leash she already has in you is going to fucking tighten, until she chokes you out with it."

Lee stared at Kenny, silence occuring for a few minutes.

"And I thought Lilly was paranoid."

"Hey, fuck you. You don't see it? Fine, it's your fucking funeral." Kenny then took off, now furious. Lee shrugged it off. Lee then looked at Clementine, something in her did seem different. Her eyebrows were slanted, unlike the usual relaxed look he got used to at the Motor Inn. Maybe Kenny was right, maybe he wasn't. In the end, he ignored Kenny, he was definitely paranoid, and wanted to get over Duck. He then looked at Clementine one more second...

before taking off.

* * *

 **Hey! Sorry if this was a short chapter. Episode finales will be bound to be shorter than usual. Remember to drop a review, and favorite and follow this story.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	6. Dead Inside

**Hey guys! Chapter 6, or the first chapter of Episode 2 is now here! I hope you like it. I spent more time on this chapter than usual. I might spend more time on other chapters as well. Anyways, remember to drop a review and follow and favorite if you like this story. Anyways, for the first time in this fic. Let's respond to reviews!**

 **Guest, Ch. 5 Jan. 30 \- Hey! I'm glad you enjoyed my story, and that you were able to express your opinions about it in a fully-fledged out way. I'm happy that you pointed out Lee in this story, since I'm not just going to be focusing on Clementine but the others as well, especially Lee. I'm going to make sure that the others get a little more screen time in this fic than they do in others, keeping the dialogue between them interesting. And Clementine, oh man, Clementine. It is true that my interpretation of Clementine is different from the others, and I'm glad you see that. I have some big plans ahead of her and Lee as well. Keep an eye on that.**

 **Guest, Ch. 4 Jan 31** **\- Don't worry about if this fanfic is going to continue or not, because IT IS going to continue, for a long time.**

 **Guest, Ch. 5 Jan 28** **\- This is the only time where I heard someone mention Clementine manipulating Lee. And I want to say, her manipulation is going to play a key part in this story, as to how, or when Lee'll figure out, which we don't know if that'll happen or not, you'll just have to find out later in the story.**

* * *

The group were walking through the streets of Savannah. It was empty as a ghost town. The trip to where the supposed boats are was mostly silent, no one uttered a single word on the way there. Clementine was beside Lee, who's eyes were focused on the street. Clementine remembered that this was the exact time where she would ask Lee to give the walkie-talkie to her. But there wasn't a walkie-talkie this time for him to hold on to. Lilly was lagging behind, Kenny had started to become frustrated at her very slow pace."Hurry the fuck up! Will ya'?"

"Calm down Kenny. She's been through a lot."

"Well you don't see me and Kat slowing us down, now do ya'!?" Kenny spat. Lilly looked at him for a second, before returning to the concrete road, her vision was of it was somewhat encapsulated by the sight of her own feet.

"How's Omid?" Lee finally broke the silence, asking Christa. He knew the answer to that question already, but he felt like he needed to ask. "His leg's pretty bad." _No shit._ Clementine thought to herself.

"I'm fine." Omid reassured, but his actions and words don't match. He was really injured. He was limping at a slow pace, two handfuls of gauze surrounded his right leg.

"You're not fine. You need to rest." Christa reminded her lover. She then turned to the others, face more firm than ever. "He needs to rest." Clementine didn't care about Omid's condition, he was going to be fine. She knew that. Although she knew that he would be safe, Lee didn't get sent back in time to know the future, he was worried, but he knew they needed to keep moving.

"Kenny, how much farther to the river front?" He turned around, eyes almost close to blinking. He was tired. "Should be a few more blocks up ahead." Katjaa was right behind Kenny, she looked at him, worried for his husband's well-being. "Kenny, I'm not sure if the boats are even real. Maybe we should-" Katjaa tried to convince him but was cut off.

"The boats ARE real, hon. They've got to be." Clementine eyed at her now new-problem. Kenny seemed like the one to hope, but the tone of his voice screamed desperation more than anything. She knew there was no boats, except for one...

"If there are any boats, people would've taken them by now." Clementine uttered to the redneck. Kenny then glared at her, his face now more alive than the past few hours.

"Clementine..." Lee calmly warned his surrogate daughter. Clementine eyed Kenny for a moment, either would not back down at first. But Clementine finally gave up and let out a sigh. Lee smiled at her, glad that he was able to convince her to stop igniting any more heat to the fire that was her and Kenny's fight.

"It's okay, Clem. Kenny knows what he's doing." Ben said to Clementine, the words seemed to go in one ear and out the other to Clementine, as she looked to the ground, while walking. Clementine was silently bracing for the upcoming chaos to occur.

Suddenly a loud clang rang out in the distance, Clementine wasn't surprised, but the rest looked at the church in the distance, Lee observed the church bell, which wasn't completely exposed due to the gaps that were mostly covering the windows at the bell tower, but he could see the bell moving back and forth, the same sound ringing everytime.

"Maybe this city's not so dead after all." Christa muttered under her breath. "Keep moving, no one's ringing that bell. It's automatic, on a timer." Lee then inspected his watch. _6:20 AM._

"What kind of church bell goes off at twenty past the hour?" Silence was the answer to his question, as the others were starting to panic, all except for Clementine. This was the day before her own worst day, so she remembered every little detail of it.

Clementine and Lee looked at the the roof of the church as they saw a slender silhouette, it wore a jacket of some sort, but they didn't have time to look closer, before it taking off, the figure disappearing.

"Someone's up there!" Lee called out. "I saw it too." Clementine spoke as well, agreeing with her own mentor.

"Are you sure? I don't see anything." Ben said, as he checked out the building, only to see nothing. Clementine didn't listen to him while Lee was waving his arm around like a madman. "HEY! Hey you up there!" Lee continued, before getting interrupted. "Dammit Lee, keep quiet! You're going to attract every lurker from all mile-around!" Christa warned in loud whispers.

"Guys..." Kenny called out, the others looked at him, they only saw the back of him, he was staring at something. They followed his seemingly invisible eyes, only to see the familiar grey cadavers, limping, coming out of every corner. They looked around to see most of them, whether they were behind trash cans, from houses, or just lurking in an alleys, every last one of them littered all over the streets of Savannah.

"EVERYBODY! RUN!"

They quickly did as ordered, as the all of them sprinted at the same time, each one of them going at a breakneck speed. Kenny removed the Glock from his holster, shooting every lurker he saw, Chuck was fighting them off with the shovel, along with Christa with her pistol. Lilly was probably the second fastest, she had no weapon, she was unarmed, and was simply lighter than the others, mostly the others.

Clementine was running with Lee, Each walker that came across Lee came across the head of his spanner at the same time, while every walker who reached past five feet got shot by Clementine's pistol. Lee was too busy fighting back a walker, before another one creeped up to him. Lee just finished taking out the walker, the other walker was just a few inches away from its food.

 _BLAM!_

The blood spurted out across the back of Lee's blue polo shirt. He then turned around to see a limp decomposed body, with a giant crater against its forehead. He turned right to see Clementine, smoke coming out of the barrel of his gun.

"Thanks." Lee uttered to the child, catching a breath, keeling his upper body over. Clementine was able to pull the edge of her lips, creating a rare smile from the child. Lee nodded at her, before they continued running, catching up with the others.

Chuck was sprinting as well, the old man hadn't felt more alive since the old days, somehow for an old man, he was catching up with the others, while taking out the walking corpses with his shovel. Kenny continued sprinting, before suddenly he felt something grab his foot, the force from the grab, caused him to suddenly trip. The Glock sliding away from his reach. He tried to grab the pistol, but the it was just too far away.

"KENNY!" Lee then sprinted at the walker, before using the momentum from his sprint to punt the walker in the side of its head. The walker let go, it didn't have the time to look up to see its attacker, before the foot caved in the side of its skull.

Kenny then crawled away from the walker in a short burst, gasping for air, breathing heavily from the heart-dropping close call. "A little too close, don't ya' think?"

Katjaa then ran up to her husband, wrapping her hands around him. "I'm okay, Kat. I'm ok." Kenny reassured his wife, only for her to let go of her tight squeeze of her husband. Lilly saw the couple for a second, feeling a lump inside. As if she felt guilty. But for what? It didn't matter, she came back to her senses, and kept running.

Lee then turned around to see Clementine, while Ben seemingly cowered behind her, as all walkers who came close to them received a bullet to the head from Clementine. After a few seconds, as if it were synchronized, all walkers fell each second. Lee was surprised by the girl's precision. He was shocked about her quick adaptation to the use of a firearm. She quickly became one of the best shooters in the group, maybe even giving Carley a run for her money.

Chuck ran past the two of them. Clementine smiled at herself for her new accomplishment. She had prevented Chuck's death. Lee told her at the house of his fate, and she was able to stop it. Kenny continued running along with Katjaa, the others were still not able to catch up with him. He suddenly stopped his sprint, gesturing his hands at the group. "Move your asses! River Street's right up ahead."

"That's not all." Ben stated with a menacing tone behind his voice. Kenny looked around to see another wave of roamers strutting from the other side of the street, a few feet away from their prey. "Oh, gimme a fucking break!" Kenny yelled out into the distance, Katjaa flinched at the loud outburst from her husband. "Fuck! We gotta go! Now!" Kenny ordered the group of nine (if you count the currently tied-up Lilly), the group continued sprinting, Clementine searched for the house they were inevitably destined to be holed up in, before she finally found the alley.

"There!" Clementine pointed at the destination, the others followed and went past her before she herself ran alongside them, Kenny and Katjaa were the first ones to reach the gates, Kenny opened the steel gate open for Katjaa, who immediately stormed through the gate, before Kenny himself alongside the others entered the yard.

The yard was of expected of a mansion as wide. It had a complex structure, a fountain at the centre, with water filling its top. It had a wooden shed on the upper right side which consumed a lot of ground, as expected of a shed. It had a small house-shaped figure at the other side, made out of wood. Too small for a regular human being, most likely a dog's house. Beside it, was a cross, in front of a set of dirt.

Lee tried to close the gate, but he thought he heard a scream while doing so. Once he was done, he saw everyone at their places. Kenny was in front of the door, supposedly searching for something alongside Ben. Lilly went to rest against the shed, isolating herself from anyone in range. Clementine just walked by and sat beside Christa, Katjaa and Omid. Omid was lying down across the stone-floor, something seemed to stain his right leg. Christa checked to see his condition.

"You've reopened your wound, you're bleeding!" Christa asserted to her lover.

"Here, let me check." Katjaa then came to Omid. Christa moved away for the veterinarian to inspect the wound. Katjaa rolled the sleeve of his leg, slowly rolling it to the section of his thigh. Only to see a large gaping gash across the knee, crimson stains surrounding the large wound. Katjaa was shocked to see the results, but continued checking nonetheless. Once she was done, she rolled back the sleeve to look at Christa, her eyebrows and lips frowning, much to Christa's worry.

"His leg is hurt real bad. If the house doesn't have any, I think medical supplies or any antibiotics, it will cause an infection. Any more delay of treatment will mean..." The silence was enough for Christa to put the palm in her hand in her mouth, silently weeping.

"It's okay baby, once we get into that house, we'll find antibiotics there, and everything's going to be fine." Omid reassured his girlfriend, placing his the palm of his hand across her open arm. Christa stopped weeping to see him, then stopped to take a breath, regaining her own composure. "Okay." She wiped her nose of any mucus that spilled, before sitting next behind him, or rather kneeling next beside him.

Lee could only look pitifully at the couple, while Katjaa stood up to walk up to Lee.

"I think it's best for them to have time for themselves." Lee nodded with a look of sadness. He looked around to search for Clementine, to find her nowhere. He searched for a bit only to see her in front of the shed, grunting as she tried to open the doors.

"You know its not safe to go opening doors around, now right?" Lee scolded her, arms crossed.

His statement passed by her mind, as she tried to open the shed doors, to no avail. "Here, let me try." Lee offered to his surrogate daughter, she nodded for him to take his place. After a short struggle, he succeeded, he then gawked at the inside like he found a golden treasure.

It was a boat, the back of it displayed upon them, it was not a yacht, but it wasn't a Dinghy or a sailboat. It seemed capable of taking them to the sea for a long time. The others, except for Omid and Christa went to check on the vehicle that they found. Kenny only smiled at the sight of the beauty, alongside Katjaa who was happy for her husband. The others including Lilly, were only shocked at the revelation, all of their eyes were widened to the point where it should pop off by now, except for Clementine.

"Goddamn!" Kenny blurted out as he sprinted at the watercraft with a huge smile plastered across his face. "Lee, why don't you and uh... Clementine go see if there are any ways in the entrance, I'm gonna go check this baby out, see if she's fit to set sail." Kenny said, clear enthusiasm in his tone. Clementine rolled her eyes while Lee smiled at his friend, happy that something good came out of this madness. "

Sure Kenny, come on Clem." Lee waved his hand to his surrogate daughter, as he walked away, with Clementine just following him, no emotion in her face at all.

Lilly returned to her place, she looked up only to see the old man now taking a seat beside her. The only thing she could do was sigh, she was already frustrated at him coming up to her as some sort of distraction to her, but she couldn't be rude to the man. Silence surrounded the duo for a few minutes, the commotion of Lee and Clementine and Katjaa checking up on Christa and Omid being dull around them.

"I see everyone around here doesn't quite like to talk to you that much, right?" Chuck broke the silence, Lilly still didn't bother to look at him.

"Now, I get what you're feeling. With everyone treating you like an outcast an' all that. Now I get that what you did was probably wrong, but still, that feeling you're most likely feeling right now. You feel like you don't have a place anymore, now do ya'? Like somehow you need to get away."

The statement was enough for her to snap her head at him. A rage-fueled glare emerging from her eyes. "You don't fucking know a shit about me. How do you even know what I've done anyway!?" Lilly spat at the old man. "The little girl. I got it from her." Chuck replied casually, tilting his head at Clementine, who was watching Lee digging up something in the distance.

"She's an odd one." Chuck remarked at the little girl.

"You can say that again." Lilly remarked, as for the first time emotion finally showed in her, a look of fascination focused on the little girl herself. Chuck nodded in agreement.

"Sucks, doesn't it? Being all tied up like some sort of dog in a leash." The question made Lilly returned in her silent depressive expression. "I'm not mad about getting tied up. I've been taught how to deal with that sort of shit." Lilly finally spoke up again, making a brash remark.

"'You military?" Lilly nodded. Chuck softly laughed at the news, creating a chuckle. "I'm not talking about getting tied up, I mean about your people treating you that way." Lilly then went silent, Chuck nodded as a sign of understanding.

"Yeah. I'm not going to come and cuddle you. It's perfectly normal for you to feel that way. These people aren't going to feel anything different. We're all survivors. Everything we do ain't going to be for their own sake. Because it's for ours, especially given the world we're in today, it's the harsh truth. And we just have to deal with the consequences, but it's just a price to pay to live, but sooner or later, you look back, and no matter how damaged you' might be after, you move on. And I'm sure everyone here at this point felt the same way as you did. Probably the little girl. It's natural for you to feel that way and there is nothing to stop you from feeling that way. But like I said, you keep moving on, all of this your feeling is just... well I'm not going to spoil it for ya', but you'll get it later."

Lilly then looked down, her visage more emptier than ever. The two then snapped out of their conversation to see the others gathering up with Lee and Clementine, as the door that they were so desperately trying to pry was now open. Chuck smiled at the sight, while Lilly nodded her head sideways. The two then stood up as they were the last ones to reach the door, behind Kenny.

* * *

The group then walked inside, the trio of Lee, Clementine, and Kenny examined the house. In front, a few feet away was a double-door, most likely leading to the front door. Surrounding it was a complex set of striped wallpaper, facing to its right was the living room. It was already filled with people already, composing of Katjaa, Lilly, Chuck, and Omid and Christa, with the former taking up all of the couch with Christa resting by his side along with Katjaa. Lilly and Chuck were on different seats. In front of them, as if it were watching over them was a picture, composing of a family.

But just in front of them was a kitchen. Like every one of the rooms, it was surrounded by striped wallpaper, the large area in which it consumed, along with the number of drawers and cupboards gave them the impression that it should be complex, if it weren't for the specks of dust surrounding the whole area as if it were haunted.

Christa then marched towards the trio, although she her glare was more focused on the two grown men than the little girl. "So what the hell are we going to do about the bell-ringer? We know Lee saw something up there, and I want to know if it's safe to go out there without someone stalking us." Kenny only seemed to be more tensed at the Christa's question. "You don't need to fucking remind us, Christa. And there's nothing we can fucking do about it. Right now, the best we can do is find some batteries and gas for the boat, without getting spotted by that guy on the bell tower, so we could get the fuck out of here!" Kenny profaned.

"Batteries? I thought you already had the boat fixed up." Christa said, tone more curious than ever.

"Yes. Batteries. We need those and gas for the boat, so we can get the fuck out of here, so we can't be followed by that bell-ringer anymore! What, you think the boat's going to be in top-shape the second we find one!? Might as well say that you hoped to find a pot of fucking gold while you're at it." Kenny spat at her. Christa can only stare at him, hands placed on her hips.

"Whatever. All I could say is that I'm not going back there anytime soon. Omid needs to rest."

Ben looked around the whole place for a minute, each second making him feel more safe. "Place seems secure at least." Christa turned her head to Ben in a quick second, in a robotic fashion.

"I'll feel better when we know that for sure. We need to check the whole house." Christa argued with the others. This forced Kenny to sigh. "Alright, fine. You an' me'll take the upstairs. Lee, Clementine, you guys've got down here." Clementine and Lee nodded, Clementine already had gotten used to doing all the work for the adults, so this wasn't new. "Make sure you check every door, understand?" Kenny asserted, Lee and Clementine nodded a second time. "Okay." Lee reassured. Clementine kept a weary gaze at the man, Kenny saw her stare, then only sighed in frustration, he then walked off, along with Christa and the others.

Lee chuckled at the little girl. "I guess you're now part of the group." Clementine narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Wasn't I always part of the group?"

"No, it's just..." Lee scratched his head, not knowing how to explain this. "I mean-"

"Calm down, I know what you're talking about." Clementine reassured him, smiling at her guardian. Lee smiled in return. "Well then let's get to it." Lee waved his hand, then walked by Clementine, heading first. Clementine stared at him with an analytical gaze. _Don't be too trusting of me Lee, I need you here._ Clementine then followed Lee.

The two walked by the first door, it was by the living room, where Omid and Christa were resting, while Katjaa was tending to Omid's wound. Lee crouched slightly, along with Clementine, now with her gun equipped. He put his palm against the knob, sweat surrounding it straight away. Lee gestured to Clementine, mutual understanding connecting through them. Clementine nodded for the signal, Lee then quickly jolted the door open in a burst. Clementine pulled her gun at the room in quick succession. _Nothing._

Lee then scratched his head. "Uh, Clem. Why don't we split up? Would make things a lot faster and easier." Clementine rolled her eyes. Even with Lee, she still has to do everything. "Sure." The statement was of agreement, but the tone was monotone, most likely giving away annoyance. Lee couldn't help but smirk at the girl, he patted her at the top of her cap, no response was returned by the little girl, the two then split off.

Clementine had the door next to the checked one, while Lee was heading for the double doors. Clementine, as same as Lee, slightly bent her knees, each second, her knees began to strain, and sweat was starting to embed through her. She put the tiny palm of her hand at the knob, she wasn't fully able to grasp some of it, but she had a good grip. _In 3... 2... 1._

The door quickly opened as she pointed her gun at the room. _Empty._ "JESUS!" She turned around in a flash to see Lee, stepping backwards, from what seemed like a fallen mop. "What? What happened?" Christa asked. Although Clementine remembered that it was her who asked along those lines. "It's nothing." He then put the mop back, he didn't care about the noise he made while doing so, as long as they didn't see it. "Just..." Lee took one last final look at the closet.

"Nothing." Lee then slammed the doors shut, he turned around to see Clementine, a quirky eyebrow raised at him. Lee rolled his eyes in response, while Clementine couldn't help but grin at him, as he walked off. Clementine followed him, as usual.

"Well the place ain't got much. We should be okay here for a while, at least until it quiets down outside." Lee stated. "Good. Thanks." Christa smiled at the man.

Lee took a second to look at Omid, he was now unconscious, he wasn't looking any better, his leg was still wounded, and the blood stains were widening.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Katjaa turned around at him. "Yeah, for now. But his leg is infected, I don't suppose you've turned up any antibiotics, while you're at it." Lee only shook his head sideways, his expression more saddened than ever.

"No, just dog food. And there's some whiskey in the back." Lee said. Katjaa then shook her head. "This isn't good. You need to go out there, or else he'll get worse." Christa's eyes were then devoid of life but widened, before coming back to her senses and helping Katjaa. "She's right, after you check this place out, you and Kenny can go out in a run to find some antibiotics for Omid."

"Sure, Christa." Lee asserted, a smile across his face.

Lee then turned around to see a Clementine, still an eyebrow raised. "You got scared by a mop?" Lee couldn't say anything as a response, so he snorted, much to Clementine's satisfaction.

"It got me by surprise. You would do the same." Lee fought back, earning a chuckle muffled in hisses by Clementine.

"LEE!" The voice rang out to their earshot, Lee and Clementine quickly ran to see Ben almost stumbling by the stairs in a hurry. "Lee, you need to get up here now."

"What's wrong?"

"It's Kenny." The mere mention of her husband was enough to make Katjaa divert her attention from Omid to the teenager.

"Kenny?"

* * *

The second they knew it, the three of them were now in front of the stairs leading up to the attic. Katjaa, Lee, and Ben. Lee told Clementine to stay put back there, seeing that they were going to interact with Kenny, a man who isn't exactly on good terms with her.

"Kenny said he thought heard something up there, he went to go look." Lee narrowed his eyes, inspecting the end of ladder, leading up to the attic the square frame was surrounded by black-like shadows, like it stood out above the rest, like the death itself was near their own vicinity. Lee took a look closer, while Ben and Katjaa followed. "I can't get him to come down." He explained. Lee then put his hand in front of Ben as a gesture.

"Don't worry, me and Katjaa will take care of this. Go back down, along with Christa and Omid and the others." Lee warned Ben, he did as told, walking off the two afterwards. Lee took one step up, it didn't make a creak like most of the stairs he climbed up in, but what awaited them was still unknown, as Katjaa followed. Second by second, the pace began to pick up, noise began to be made, creaks crept out of every single step, as the two finally reached their destination.

"Kenny? It's me. Lee and I just wanted to check up on you." Katjaa called out her husband to see him, kneeling down, facing the light. The words of Katjaa seemed to be numb to him, as he seemed to be in a state of hypnosis, like he was staring at the light that shone from the window.

"Kenny? Kenny, you okay man?" Lee called out his friend, coming closer to him, but that familiar foulness once again reached him and Katjaa as they both stopped and covered their noses with the palm of their hands.

"Jesus... what the hell is that?" Lee uttered in disgust before looking up, the revelation made his jaw slowly drop in shock as the smell deteriorated in his mind in exactly the same pace.

"Oh my god..."

The figure slowly crept up, revealing itself in its full 'glory'. It's skin was of decomposing grey, as it slowly stumbled around to the trio. It was a young boy, its skin was rotten, and its pupils were of the same grey color of its sclera. Weak, dark green veins seemed to run through it as well, it sunk deep past the orbital. It was no secret that the boy was a walker. The boy was rawboned, every single bone in its body and face, whether it was the ribs, the sternum, it just stuck out of its skin.

The three didn't notice the boy stumbling towards them, forgetting for a split moment that it intended to eat them. The boy didn't make two steps before a light crunch was heard as the boy dropped to the ground. But the boy continued, raising its thin, club-like arms at them. Just desperately waving.

"Oh god..." Katjaa couldn't help it. Tears started to come out of her eyes, as covered her mouth with her palm, the tears running past through her knuckles, over the back of her hand. Kenny only looked at her for a moment, before turning back, slowly, with no emotion, as if he were a machine.

"It's just a kid." Lee grimaced at the sight. "What the hell happened to him?"

"Ain't got much on him." The trio continued staring at the struggling boy. "Guess he must've hid here. Starved to death."

"Jesus Christ." Katjaa continued weeping as the mesmerized Kenny continued to stare at the boy. Lee looked at Katjaa, he was confused as to why she was weeping. He then turned around to take one close look at the boy before the realization hit him as well.

"Oh fuck..." Lee could only blurt out as Kenny still stared at the boy.

"I don't know if I can do it, Lee. Can't do it before, can't do it now." Lee could only stare at the man pitifully.

"Don't worry, Kenny. I'll do it. Like I did before." Lee then turned at his new-target, only staring at the boy's empty irises, he slowly marched to the cot, halfway through it was wrapped by blankets. A water bottle laid by the wooden floor, along with an empty plate, surrounding it was a set of brown-like spots. Lee sighed sadly before walking to the crawling walker.

There, he stood above the walker. The walker seemed to find its new target, as it reached his hand at the grown man. But the best the boy could only do was wave, as it struggled to reach past 24 inches. The man could only sadly stare as his quick blinks forced back any tears that were threatening to come out. He then placed his foot at the boy's temple, the waist of the foot almost reaching past the size of the boy's head.

"I'm sorry." Lee closed his eyes as it didn't take much effort to squeeze down the boy's head. A faint squish was heard, as the man opened his eyes to see the aftermath. Blood was squirting out of the boy as its right cheek was deflated. Lee took a few breaths, recovering from the heart-sinking challenge. Lee then looked at Katjaa and Kenny, both on their knees, the former weeping and the latter just stared at the corpse.

"We should bury him."

Lee then only stared at him for a few minutes, before looking down.

"I'll take care of it."

* * *

Lee carried the dry mutilated corpse to the backyard. It was just past noon, the grey mist surrounded the whole neighborhood as anything past a few feet was obscured by the large surrounding fog.

The professor just drowsily marched through the dirt, while he marched through the grave, the sounds of his footsteps changed from faint scrapes of the concrete platforms to dried sounds of his foot squelching through soil as the man reached his destination. He carefully laid the boy as if he were an ancient artifact. Placing him with his deceased pet. Lee grabbed the shovel, picking it up as he dug.

Unknown to him, Clementine was watching, a rather focused stare with a laid-back posture, like a cowgirl in a saloon, fingers stretching across the handle of her pistol, just in case he comes.

Lee finished hauling the third bit of dirt through the floor as he stared at the grave. What remained was parts of the boys' palm and foot, as he sighs were mixed with grunts before digging up the last bit of dirt.

Clementine's eyes were then widened to see the man couldn't really see it, but the dark silhouette outside the fence gave it away, the shadows obscured its features but she knew. Its scrawny but masculine figure was a dead giveaway to her. Many questions ran through her head, panic reached all over her in a second before it slowly died down, as if it she were engineered to do the same disproportionate answer that was now playing on repeat inside her. _Shoot him._

A weak _KLIK!_ barely reached Lee's earshot as he looked around to see Clementine, aiming a gun at the side of him. Lee turned around to see a dark silhouette, now flabbergasted at the sight of the girl. Lee turned between the two individuals for a second, stuttering as he didn't know what to do, he quickly made up his mind as he walked to Clementine.

"Clementine? What are you doing...?" The man tried to reach out to her, his hand waving up as a sign of reason and persuasion. The girl didn't even look at her guardian, as she raised her gun at him slightly. All options of reasoning were out of the table as the man then began to reach his hand towards her, desperately sprinting.

"CLEMENTINE! NO!"

 _BLAM!_

The little girl was too quick for the man, as she burst inside the house in a split second. The man outside was now limping, reaching past the fence. Lee crashed through the door, almost stumbling through the frame. But in his peripheral vision, he saw a few feet away, the swinging double doors. He quickly recovered and burst in another sprint, passing through the living room, much to the others' surprise.

The man then charged through the double doors, the force of his charge reminiscent of a bull, as the double doors were now swinging back and forth from Lee's outburst, as he turned left to see Clementine heading down the side.

"Wait! CLEMENTINE!" The man then sprinted across the street, breathing heavily from the tension.

 _BLAM! BLAM!_

He could see the quick flashes of light bursting in the distance. The sounds of those two gunshots heard out in the distance were typically supposed to bring quick intensity to those who heard it, but like always, it would die down. Not Lee though, the lump inside him only stayed as the possibilities rang out through him further.

Lee reached the end of the street to see Clementine. Now towering over the man. He seemed to be reaching for her, as blood was spurring out of him from every side. Lee then shook his head, snapping him out of his thoughts. He then sprinted at the man, reaching his hand to further delay what was coming from him.

"NO! CLEMENTINE, DON'T DO IT!" The words seemed to bounce out of Clementine's head, as she continued staring at the man, the stoicism apparent in her eyes. Who was grasping his sides from her shots to his gut. He seemed to be blurting something out to her, but she didn't care. She casually raised her gun at the man in a split second as Lee was now inches from the man and-

 _BLAM!_

Everything in Lee's mind quickly became blurry as he stepped back in shock, he flinched as he gazed at his blue polo shirt, fresh spots of crimson stain emerging from it as he looked at who was supposed to be his _9 year old surrogate daughter._ The same blood splatters sprayed over her ball cap and every little bit of her front, as she didn't feel pity. No, she eyed the man with contempt. Much to his actual disgust.

He had trouble even gathering the senses to say the words, as the adrenaline stayed in his veins long enough for the aftermath. He was stammering, before he looked at Clem, his eyes widened to the point of absurdity, as even his jaw was twitching, but he swallowed the lump in his throat but the shock still remained inside him.

"W-what did you do?"

* * *

 **All righty then! Maybe Clementine's becoming a bit too sociopathic here in this chapter, but remember, she shot him in the head with no emotion as her normal nine year old self. So Season 2 Clementine and especially MY Clementine's treatment of him, would probably be a lot more different than before.**

 **Also this whole Clementine's becoming a sociopath is intentional, as to why, you'll find out later.**

 **Remember to drop a review as always and favorite and follow if you like this story and you want to see what happens afterwards.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


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